AN awareness event about osteoporosis takes place in Norbury where a range of experts, health professionals and fitness instructors will be on hand to provide information on this condition.

The event, which is being arranged by Bishop’s Castle Patients Group, Shropshire Council and the Osteoporosis Society, is between 10am and 12.30pm at Norbury Village Hall.

People with osteoporosis are more likely to break a bone after a simple fall, lifting a heavy object or moving in a way that twists the spine.

A simple fall could be defined as falling from a height of less than one metre.

In the UK, there are an estimated 500,000 new fragility fractures each year; that’s one every minute.

Whilst osteoporosis itself does not cause pain, broken bones as a result of osteoporosis often cause pain, although spinal compression fractures can sometimes present no symptoms at all.

Sometimes, broken bones can result in long-term, physical consequences that cause ongoing pain.

Osteoporosis can also have a much wider impact on the lives of those affected, beyond broken bones and their direct consequences.

It is a condition in which bones lose their strength and are more likely to break.

Osteoporosis doesn’t show any outward symptoms and the first sign of osteoporosis is often a broken bone. Broken bones and fractures are the same thing.

The bones most commonly fractured as a result of osteoporosis are the wrist, hip and spine.

Osteoporosis itself is does not cause pain. But broken bones caused by osteoporosis can be painful, and sometimes lead to long-term difficulties. Spinal compression fractures can cause a change in body shape and ongoing, chronic back pain. Hip fractures can result in loss of independence or reduced health and wellbeing.

After the age of about 35 years, the amount of bone tissue we have naturally starts to decrease. This is often described as ‘bone loss’ or ‘bone thinning’. Our bones don’t look any different from the outside, but the inner structure becomes thinner and sometimes breaks down.

These long-term difficulties can have a big impact on quality of life for those affected.

The event in Norbury will include a series of talks from a consultant Geriatrician, a specialist nurse, public health programme, lead and local exercise professional, which will help you people learn more about the condition from diagnosis, treatments and the role of exercise and diet in managing the condition.

This event is particularly aimed at anyone recently diagnosed with the condition or those who are supporting a family member with osteoporosis.

It takes place on Thursday, October 18. The event is free to attend, but places need to be booked in advance via Eventbrite at: https://shropshire-osteoporosis-information-event-tickets.eventbrite.com Information is also available by contacting Katie Hall on 07545 788872.